Alex Goligoski Signs Contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins

Golden Gopher defenseman Alex Goligoski (Gramd Rapids, Minn.) has decided to forgo his final year of eligibility and has signed a professional contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League.

“Although we will miss him, we are extremely happy for Alex,” Golden Gopher Head Coach Don Lucia said. “I know it is a dream come true for him to have an opportunity to play in the NHL. He’s been a great hockey player during his three years here, but is an even better person off the ice. Alex will be a great representative of the University of Minnesota and we thank him for his contributions to this program.”

A 6-0, 187-pound defenseman, Goligoski was a 2006-07 All-American, the WCHA Defensive Player of the Year and an All-WCHA First Team selection after finishing the season with nine goals and 30 assists for 39 points in 44 games. Goligoski earned his first career All-America honor and became the 36th player in Golden Gopher hockey history to be named a First Team All-American. He followed Ryan Potulny in 2005-06 and became the first Minnesota defenseman to earn first team honors since Keith Ballard in 2003-04.

Goligoski became Minnesota’s first WCHA Defensive Player of the Year since Jordan Leopold won the award in 2000-01 and 2001-02. Goligoski also earned All-WCHA First Team honors a season after being named to the All-WCHA Second Team and two years removed from his appearance on the WCHA All-Rookie Team. An assistant captain, Goligoski compiled totals of 9-30--39 to rank tied for first in the WCHA in defenseman points and points per game (0.89). His 39 points ranked second in the nation among blueliners. Goligoski owned a team fourth-best nine multi-point games and ranked tied for first on the team with a plus/minus rating of +24. He had a point in 26 of 44 games and had four three-point games on the year.

With career totals of 25-73--98 in 118 games, Goligoski finished his Minnesota career in 14th place on UM’s all-time list for points by a defenseman, 11th in goals by a defenseman and 16th in assists by a defenseman.

Goligoski was drafted 61st overall in the second round by the Penguins in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft. He is the second Golden Gopher defenseman this offseason to give up remaining eligibility to play professional hockey, following Erik Johnson signing with the St. Louis Blues on April 19.

For more information on Goligoski’s signing, visit the official website of the Pittsburgh Penguins at www.penguins.nhl.com.

Alex Goligoski Bio

2006-07 Junior Season: 2006-07 assistant team captain named the WCHA Defensive Player of the Year and First Team All-WCHA one of five players to appear in all 44 games ranked tied for third on the team in scoring with 9-29--39, including 4-16--20 in 28 WCHA games ranked first in the WCHA and second in the nation in defenseman scoring; and first in the WCHA and fifth in the nation in points per game among defensemen (0.89) had two career-long six-game point streaks during the season had 3-6--9 from Oct. 13-28 and 2-7--9 from Dec. 8 to Jan. 7 did not gone more than three games without tallying a point had a team fourth-best nine multi-point games had a point in 26 of 44 games team was 21-4-1 when he tallied a point had four three-point games had a team-leading seven assists on game-winning goals two-time WCHA Defensive Player of the Week (10/31, 1/2) ranked third on the team with three game-winning goals had 1-3--4 in the series sweep of Wayne State (10/13-14) has 2-1--3 in the sweep at Ohio State (10/20-21), including the game-winning goal in the 6-3 win (10/21) notched four assists in the sweep of Colorado College (10/27-28), including a season-high three in the 8-1 win (10/28) had 1-2--3 with the game-winner in the 5-4 win over Michigan State (11/24) had 1-2--3 in the 5-5 tie vs. Minnesota State (12/1) had three assists, including one on the Saturday game-winner, in the sweep at MichiganTech (12/8-9) had 1-3--4 in the Dodge Holiday Classic (12/29-30) with 1-2--3, including an assist on the game-winner, in the 5-2 win over Ferris State (12/30) named the Dodge Holiday Classic MVP and member of the All-Tournament Team got the game-winner in the 1-0 win over Minnesota State (1/7) assisted on the game-winning goal in the 8-2 win at Alaska Anchorage (2/2) had two helpers, including one on the game-winner, in the 6-2 win over UAA in the first round of the WCHA Playoffs (3/9) assisted on the game-winning goal in the 4-2 win over Wisconsin in the semifinals of the WCHA Final Five (3/16) got the first assist on the game-winning goal in the 4-3 win over Air Force in the first round of the NCAA West Regional (3/24) tied for first on the team with a +24 rating had 2-8--10 in 17 career postseason games was paired with Mike Vannelli for the majority of the season.

2005-06 Sophomore Season: 2005-06 All-WCHA Second Team one of eight players to appear in all 41 games ranked third on the team in scoring with 11-28--39, including 7-17--24 in 28 WCHA games collected career-high totals in points, goals, assists, power-play goals (4) and game-winning goals (1) ranked third in the WCHA and fifth in the nation in defenseman scoring; and second in the WCHA and fourth in the nation in points per game among defensemen (0.95) had a career-long six-game point streak from Dec. 29-Jan. 14, during which he had 4-4--8 had a team third-best 11 multi-point games had a point in 25 of 41 games team was 18-5-2 when he tallied a point finished 19 points ahead of his scoring pace from the 2004-05 season (5-15--20) had two three-point games had two assists on game-winning goals had 1-2--3 in the series sweep of Minnesota State (10/21-22) scored the game-winning goal in the 4-3 win over the Mavericks (10/22) had 1-1--2 in the 4-3 win at Denver (11/19) recorded a career-best four assists in the 6-3 win at then-No. 1 Michigan (11/25) had 0-3--3 in the Dodge Holiday Classic (12/29-30) to earn All-Tournament Team honors had 2-2--4 in the series sweep of Niagara (1/6-7) scored two goals in the series split vs. North Dakota (1/13-14) had 1-2--3 in the series sweep at Wisconsin (1/27-28) had 1-1--2 in the 2-2 tie at Michigan Tech (2/11) had 1-2--3 in the 5-1 win over Denver (2/18) had two assists, including one on the game-winner, in the 4-3 win at Alaska Anchorage (2/24) added two more assisted in the 4-0 win at UAA (2/25) earned WCHA Defensive Player of the Week honors after the UAA series assisted on the game-winning goal in the 2-0 win over Minnesota Duluth (3/ 4) second on the team with a +21 rating had 3-8--11 in the last nine games has 2-3--5 in 10 career postseason games was paired with R.J. Anderson for the majority of the season awarded Third Team All-America honors by Inside College Hockey named honorable mention All-USCHO.

2004-05 Freshman Season: Played in 33 games, missing seven games with a shoulder injury and four games while playing for Team USA at the IIHF World Junior Championship named to the All-WCHA Rookie Team named the team’s Frank Pond Rookie of the Year had totals of 5-15--20 to finish seventh on the team in scoring, second among freshmen and second among defensemen had 3-11--14in 23 WCHA games was ninth in the league in scoring among freshmen and 10th among defensemen assisted on two game-winning goals recorded four multi-point games ranked fifth on the team in power-play points with 3-9--12 recorded his first career point in the season-opening 5-2 win over Denver (10/9) scored his first career goal in the 3-2 loss at Alaska Anchorage (10/16) had three assists in the series split at North Dakota (10/22-23) had 0-2--2, including a helper on Barry Tallackson’s game-winner in the 6 -0 win at UND (10/23) had 1-1-2 in the 5-0 win over Michigan State (11/27) named WCHA Rookie of the Week following the College Hockey Showcase (11/ 29) scored a career-high two goals in the 5-4 win over St. Cloud State (2/25) assisted on Danny Irmen’s game-winner in the 4-2 win at Michigan Tech (3/4) had two assists in the series sweep over Minnesota State (3/11-12) was paired primarily with Chris Harrington.

High School: Played his prep hockey at Grand Rapids High School head coach was Bruce LaRoque had 25 goals and 31 assists in 2003-04 to help lead GRHS to a runner-up finish in Section 7AA finshed fourth in the state among defensemen in regular season scoring with 23-24--47 in 25 games 2004 Mr. Hockey finalist named AP all-state, St. Paul Pioneer Press all-state, 2004 Duluth News Tribune Player of the Year and All-Iron Range had 14 goals and 20 assists in 28 games during his junior season with the Thunderhawks joined the Sioux Falls Stampede of the USHL following his senior season had two assists in 10 games during his junior prep season, was named all-state honorable mention by the AP and Pioneer Press also named News Tribune all-area and All-Iron Range played with the River City Lancers of the USHL after his junior season had one assist in 10 games drafted 61st overall in the second round by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft.

Personal: Son of Dan and Paula Goligoski born July 30, 1985.

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